Aleksandar Mitrovic Starts At York City

It’s been a hectic pre-season for Newcastle (too many games) and after playing at Sheffield United on Sunday, Newcastle will play York City tonight at Bootham Crescent on what will be a rain-sodden pitch.

Steve McClaren has just announced his team and there will be chances given to a number of fringe players – Bigirimana, Ferguson, Satka and Abeid all start – and new signing Aleksandar Mitrovic gets his first start and first appearance for the Magpies tonight.

The senior players are being held back for the final game of pre-season against Borussia Monchengladbach at St. James’ Park on Saturday afternoon – 3:00pm kick-off – and then there will be 8 days before we host Southampton in our Premier league kick-off.Newcastle (4-2-3-1): Karl Darlow; Gael Bigirimana, Lubomir Satka, Jamaal Lascelles, Shane Ferguson; Mehdi Abeid, Yoan Gouffran; Rolando Aarons, Siem de Jong (c), Ayoze Perez; Aleksandar Mitrovic
Substitutes: Rob Elliot, Olivier Kemen, Lewis Suddick, Louis Johnson

It’s a familiar 4-2-3-1 formation with the three up front being Aarons, de Jong and Perez with Siem in the number 10 role behind Mitrovic up front.

Olivier Kemen is on the bench and the 18 year-old appears to be unhappy with his lot at Newcastle, and may be leaving the club soon, having had talks with AC Milan – we hope he stays.

Siem de Jong is also in the starting line-up and will captain the side, with our two lads from Nottingham Forest – goalkeeper Karl Darlow and center-back Jamaal Lascelles also in the starting line-up.

With young goalkeeper Freddy Woodman going on loan to Crawley Town until early January, Darlow will fight it out with Rob Elliot for the back-up goalkeeper position with Tim Krul looking like he’s back to his old self in pre-season.

It’s a chance for some of the fringe players to catch Steve McClaren’s eye tonight.

LewSpi
That’s the market. After my first visit to Newcastle it made me wonder why so many Geordies come every Thursday to Leeds to visit the Market and other shops when the markets and shops in Newcastle are so much better

I think overall Carr has done a decent job. Considering his mandate is to provide young, relatively cheap talent from overseas there are bound to be quite a few mistakes. Nobody can say with certainty how a young player will do coming to the Prem. Really Carr has an almost impossible task with the conditions imposed on him by Ashley. What other head scout is only able to recruit young players from abroad? Early on we had a few English players with some steel like Nolan but that has largely disappeared from the squad with the exception of Colback who was on a free.

Geordie2 agreed. We never see the players who he may have recommended that Ashley wouldn’t sanction either. I am hoping that the good start in signings we have made is continued and gaps closed in this window. We need the positive wave to continue. Mbemba, a n other cb, quality right winger, quality striker..Possibly a holding midfielder to replace tiote and let’s see where it takes us. The issue hasn’t been quality for me it’s that Ashley always stopped short of buying enough of it. Which stretched the better players until they snapped or got sold.

Nice to see so many of the young players get a run out though. The BMG game should give us an idea of what Steve has in mind for the season obviously so this is just a good chance to look at some youngsters.

JFA – He seems nailed on as the cover for Janmaat at the moment, considering no one but those two have played there pre-season……I really dont think he is up to it, looked uncomfortable in USA……if anything happens to Janmaat, I see Mbemba going out there (if e get him) and our defence being worse than last year (at least at the moment)

Spot on OneAlanShearer @12. Very difficult circumstances for any head scout. I’m amazed he’s lasted this long putting up with Mike. He must be disappointed how little we’ve accomplished in 8 years. Really a waste of everyone’s time who has been associated with the club that has had to work under Mike.

Tonights game is yet another part of the ill conceived pre season activities. Obviously arranged by a clot.
It is not until the weekend before we’ll see anything like what our starting team for the Soton game may look like.
A dogs dinner of a pre-season.

Have to agree with Mr. Tuff. The pre-season has been largely a waste of time against questionable opposition. Much better teams should have been played to properly allow Steve to assess the squad. What does playing York tell him? Or the Portland B side? Or Sacramento? All a complete waste of time. Just a shambles really.

Thanks TFL. Good to learn about them both. It’s ridiculous not to have proper cover at RB. Penny pinching again. I’m not sure Dummett will ever make it at LB either so it’s all on Haidara who has been injury prone. The whole back 4 is still shaky if any injuries at all occur. Eight years to fix this. Eight years Ashley.

I think the only thing of much relevance tonight is to see how well Mitrovic does. Think he should do well.
The other thing for me is de Jong – is he up to speed, will Wally substitute him in the second half. I do have a worry about him remaining fit.

Ahh thanks GeordieTwo. I thought he had to be. Hopefully he comes good this season. Will like McClaren to see what he’s about and maybe bring the best out of him. He still kight come good. Needs to fix his composure infront of goal bigtime tho.

I don’t think we’ll bring a full back in, to do so would be admitting we got it horribly wrong by getting rid of Santon. Both full back positions we are horribly weak in yet we don’t seem keen on recruiting for back ups.

Yedlin would be my choice, can play rb or rw, spurs have just bought in Trippier. He’d be cheap and wouldn’t want alot in wages

It’s worrying that there are obviously no young full backs at the club who could be tried. He’s playing a holding midfielder and a winger at full back for the second time and it failed the first time he tried it.

You’d think he would want start getting his team together for them to gel and perform the way and with the style of football he wants.

I just don’t see what he hopes to learn, may as well play Cisse back there or Tiote for all it matters in terms of moving us forward.

At least the likes of Anita and Saylor can cover right back to a fashion

Too much too ask that we try and win a friendly well without the help of an own goal, we are still shite our team should smash these. Hopefully this scars the shite out of Stevie and we sign some more players.

Belfast, Glad you agree with me mate, I actually agree hes like a slight upgrade on ferguson but 7 millions worth? nah.

Geordie69, spot on with chester aswell, 8 million for a lad who struggled big time in the prem. Makes you wonder is 15mil for Austin really that much when you compare it to them.

And finally on the game, “Newcastle concede first against run of play” ahh great so even when we are the better team we are gonna get outdone by our god awful defence. And I know its not quite first team but it still isn’t good enough.

scratch that its 2 apparently, Mcclaren you seriously need to persuade Ashley to invest in that defence, if we are conceding this many goals against lower opposition what happens when we come up against players Like Sanchez, Aguero and Hazard every other week?

We have totally dominated the first 20mins, Mitrovic should have scored with his noggin. Also Aarons great chance first minute. Good passing but oh my, the defence. Colo and McC are in the stands 5seats away though. Tempted to have a word

I am sixk of getting embarrassed like this. As much as I want us to get in an attacking player like Thauvin and the like we should put all that on hold and go all out and buy quality defenders to sort this sh1te backling out!

i know this is a make shift back 4 but it shows what is available as backup if first team get injury/suspension

if Haidara is out, who plays at LB, likewise with somebody to play RB is Janmaat is out

And as for CB, our choices are Colo, Mbemba, Taylor, Williamson, Lascelles – Colo past his best, Mbemba unproven along with Lascelles. Taylor always in need of a stretcher and Williamson not good enough

We concede too many goals every season and Mbemba alone will not fix that

Some really embarrassing and over the top reactions. He’s picked a team to mainly give SDJ and Mitrovic a run out, with Colo injured and Mbemba waiting on a work permit it’s common sense to not risk Willo and Saylor especially considering they’ll both be required at the weekend against BM. Same applies to Janmaat and Haidara, the result isn’t important.

Christ guys Chill its a friendly with a chance to put the youth abit of fitness, Saturday is the game you guys can moan at. Its all for the sharpness of Mitrovic so just chill out talking about being embarassed and how the club is a joke. be f*kin ashamed of yourselves with a reaction like that. Its SM way of saying to Mashley look we have no strength in depth in defence.

I know! and yet some people on here the other day were actually qouted as saying ” maybe mbemba alongside colocini wont be as bad” yeah it wont be as bad as williamson and collocini but we still need a lad who we know is a proper centre half, something we have lacked since woodgate left.

Yeah at the match. I live in Leeds so was on my doorstep. Perez looks lost on the left wing and similarly Aarons on the right, although he seems to be getting more central now. De Jong looks to be the key tonight

over the top reactions!? if you hadn’t realised we play Southampton in less than a fortnight and we are currently trailing by 2 goals to York City?

Am not shouting we need the whole backroom staff out like how 90% on this blog were shouting last year. Am saying we need a whole new foundation to the centre of our defence. Is that over the top? or just stating a very clear and utter point?

coatesy17 – I guess you’re right but I can’t help but feel disgusted. Also knowing this will make news everywhere. It’s just a shambles that we have to put out such a shoddy defense even for a friendly. We need defenders ASAP!

right when we concede 2+ every week I am going to remember the lads on here who are currently saying ” over the top reactions” and “some fickle fans” and say I told you so unless of course we address those issues.

Don’t think people are getting it, we may have a very strong team saturday but our very weak defence will let us down as they4 have so many times before. Were gonna have to score 3 or 4 if we want any result against muchengladbach.

Jack – stupid would have been playing first eam defenders in a meaningless friendly and then relying on this bunch against Southampton, however if Perez is down the left and Aarons down the Right it does concern.

AS manager of my own business JackButler, i would assume i know more about confidence than yourself. A run out for fitness where result doesnt matter, (although a win would be nicer obviously) in preparation for a big home friendly that will matter, is more beneficial than wasting a full strength team 3 days before a proper pre-season friendly. Relax my friend.

I feel for abeid think th lad could be quality jus like his mom performance against Liverpool last yr,, think pardew would of gave him a run n everyone would see how much he could give but carver came in n used him as a scapegoat and publicly criticised him for giving th ball away too often (non moreso thn anyone else) and now he will be getting judged with deadweight gouffran beside him tonight n will probably be even further away from a first team slot..

Yes completely over the top reactions like your comment regarding Southampton in just under 2 weeks time. How many of today’s team will be starting against Southampton 2 players?

Under Dalglish we won a pre season competition, Jon Dahl Tomasson was banging them in for fun….that season was a complete disaster and he was piss poor

The season we finished 5th we lost 5-1 or
6-1 to Orient or Bristol…..that’s how important pre season results are. Chelsea lost to New York Red Bulls 2nd team the other night does this mean they are gonna have a bad season?

Come back to reality, if he wanted to win the game he’d field the strongest team he has but the result isn’t what he’s looking for. As I said it’s about protecting the defenders we have left for Southampton and the game at the weekend whilst giving a much needed run out to Mitrovic and SDJ

seems like toon have been easy the best team and seems like york may have actually only had 2 shots however thats all it takes. We even have Scott as proof that it was horrendous defending each time that led to both goals.

And like I says I will remember to say I told you so when you are slagging off our centre backs week in week out. I haven’t seen the promoted sides properly yet but I would say not including them that we have the joint the worst defence in the premier league, funnily enough alongside the mackems.

So what does tonights little run out mean to someone like l Lascelles? don’t think his confidence is going to be built up any, whether the result matters or not a player wants to perform for his new employers.

Pre season games like this are about fitness I agree, but it’s also a time for the manager to learn about his squad, and playing the likes of Biggi and Fergie in alien positions, he isn’t gonna lean anything imp, well other than they are not good enough to play in those positions.

The team/squad for games like to day and the weekend should be a blend of youth and experience

First half, knocking it abou well. You can see that’s Steve’s philosophy, lots of possession as you would expect. Can see lots of comments complaining about those having a dig at the defence, nobody expects these lads to feature much, but still, it was horrendously woeful for both goals, first especially.
Some decent play going forward. Hope for some goals 2nd half!! Come on lads!!

By all means mate you can call me out if this back 4 ever play together during this season. If they don’t though can I call you out?

As for the defence I slag it off weekly as I think it’s poor anyway, would you prefer Satka and Laschelles to start against Southampton or Willo and Saylor?

Remember Colo isn’t going to be match fit as he’s carrying an injury Mbemba hasn’t got a work permit and hasn’t had a preseason so won’t be fit for Southampton. That leaves willo and Saylor, I’d rather they played and weren’t risked for this nothing game played today and I’d prefer they played the German side VM which will be a much tougher work out…hence why I’m not twisting!! Does this make sense to you?

No, it makes no sense. Mbemba should get the backing for his visa tomorrow, and the paper work might be completed by Saturday. He has not missed pre-season, like if he was injured, he’s been training and should be fit. There is no reason why he shouldn’t start against Soton.

I think the Antonio Rudiger story must come from this stock market investors site
His price is €18 million and the interested are Newcastle, Wolfsburg, Chelsea and Atlético Madrid
However he has a torn meniscus at the moment.

Mbemba might be fit from training but there’s a massive difference to being fit and being match fit. If players all players needed to get fitness to optimum level was train then we’d never see the need for friendlies. Match fitness is key!!

I own a hotel with 60 staff, So I understand team building and Confidence, I dont blow my own trumpet, I just hate that our fans get so disheartened being beaten in a nonsense friendly match designed for nothing but fitness, However i agree in some aspects about Ferguson and ecspecially Bigi, Its a chance to assess some of the fringe players some more so at least play them in a correct position.

The main concerns I have is that we don’t have a deadball specialist in the team, 11 corners today and we haven’t looked like threatening!! Plenty of shots on goal no goals as of yet, these are things I’d like at and say it’s a concern!!

Armchair, the attacking of people on here for a difference of opinion, and not joining in the horrific negativity is one of the reasons i prefer lurking to posting. I shall not bother posting anymore as people prefer to have ago at each other now-a-days rather than chat about our common love interest. (NUFC incase any of you were thinking Anna Kendrick) 😉

I still think you haven’t grasped what I was getting at, but I am atleast pleased you admitted our first team defenders are also poor and therefore appreciate the fact that we need new additions toour defensive line.

Everyone is getting hyped up about a friendly. Yes it is a shame to see us losing, but York City have probably been dreaming about this game since the end of last season, and so playing their heart out.

McC has told them its just about match fitness and testing new players out in their positions as well as giving the new lad a runaround.

Don’t tell anyone, but I’m the CEO of multiple sweat shops old Mikey uses to make the replica shirts everyone loves to buy, business is booming since we’ve been ironing on those Wonga logos and I’ve just overseen the lowering of the average age of our work force to eight years of age

I’ve been consistent with my displeasure at the same CB’s at the club. These lads are the very same tools who helped get us relegated amd then promoted, but we have no depth in that position which is why I believe it makes no sense risking the other 2 rubbish ones for what are quite clearly horrific 4th and 5th choices.

I’d have preferred seeing Good play but I assume he’s injured as well, if Jews is true about Aarons limping off then it only backs the case for protecting our 2 shite CB’s

Then when the realism of the situation we ae in hits us those overly positive people have a go at those that are rightly angered by our complete failure once again to strengthen the team at the right time.

Anyone who blindly thinks that we will still sign people after Mbemba is deluded. Time and time again we have seen how this club operates.

I for one think actions speak louder than words. We have known for years our team is poor but blessed with good individuals.

Just because we have changed manager and our owner spoke publically doesn’t change anything for me.

As I said it is the actions that speak and so far this summer we have barely whispered. Yes the signings have been good but are redundant if we do not strengthen all areas of the team.

To me it seems we have just done enough to survive once more. But instead of being bottom 4 those at the club think these 3 signings will be enough to get us top 12.

I hope I am proven wrong and any naysayers will think that I am upset solely at this game tonight, but it has been this way for 5 years in the PL now.

There’s no need to worry there’s plenty of days until Southampton and we’ve already got to the stage where we’ve not only scored, but held York of all teams to only two goals! Plenty to build on. With this progress the next decent opposition will possibly not bore us out a new one. 😉

jail / our toon……… ive been banging on about the back 4 for weeks its only now a lot no here are seeing the problem yet to a few of us we knew all along we need a cb….. cover for the fb’s. now or we will be in the same shit again ……..how come we can see this and the club can’t

Hibbit sorry to steal your mojo rojo mate but you and a couple of thousand others kinda guessed the back line situation is unchanged from our exciting 9 game run last season. it’s not rocket surgery, unless of course you are a nufc employee.

Tsunki- I welcomed your comments earlier this afternoon. It seems to me that we both would be far better off being concerned about things that matter and less bothered with all that daft silly nonsense. You reminded me in reading your post that mutual respect is the key to better behaviour. I am all for debate, disagreement and the occasional dispute but with good intentions.
” You can’t give offence. You can only take it.
I have to make an early start tomorrow so catch you later.
Belfast
Good evening. Hope tricks are good.

In honor of two dedicated Newcastle fans, who lost their lives supporting Newcastle United.

Their passenger jet was shot down over Ukraine on Thursday July 17th, 2014 by rebels, as they were traveling to support the team in New Zealand.

We will never forget them.

Health Update - 4 Aug, 2016

The good news last week was that after more blood tests my PSA count is still undetectable

This means the prostate cancer is still under control, and there is no trace of it in the body.

Now to be even more vigilant so I can see the Rafa Benitez project come to its fruition over the next few years - wouldn't want to miss that.

Howay The Lads!!>

Ed Harrison

What Is A Football Club?

What is a club in any case?

Not the buildings or the directors or the people who are paid to represent it.

It’s not the television contracts, get-out clauses, marketing departments or executive boxes.

It’s the noise, the passion, the feeling of belonging, the pride in your city.

It’s a small boy clambering up stadium steps for the very first time, gripping his father’s hand, gawping at that hallowed stretch of turf beneath him and, without being able to do a thing about it, falling in love.